what is this topic about?

The chance to carry out your own research project is probably the most exciting opportunity you'll have at university, but if you're new to research it can also be daunting. This topic will help you with some important stages of the research process - from choosing a research question to analysing your data. You'll also find out how you can use your research skills to get a job. This topic covers the doing the research part of a research project, and if you need help with writing up your research, take a look at the how to write your dissertation topic

when you've done this topic, you'll be able to:

identify the requirements and restrictions for your research project

plan how you'll get maximum benefit from your supervisor

brainstorm ideas for your research project

plan your research project

decide on your research methods

explore some basic statistical tests

ensure your results are presented effectively

explore using statistical tests to analyse data

identify the transferable skills you have developed through your research project

match your skills to a job description

who should do this topic?

This topic is aimed at university students doing research projects, including dissertations and theses.

how long will this topic take?

Each page in this topic will take between 10-30 minutes to complete. This topic is designed to help you at each stage of your research project, so you will probably work through it over a number of weeks. You can use the topic navigation box to jump to the pages that will be most helpful to you, or you can start at the beginning and work through the whole topic - it's entirely up to you.

what do I need to know before I do this topic?

You don't need any prior knowledge to do this topic.

do I need any equipment or resources to do this topic?

For some of the activities in this topic, you'll need a pen and paper.